Assembly machine for a seal

ABSTRACT

A machine for assembly of the component parts of a seal of the type comprising a plastic body, a metal ferrule assembled with the body and a flexible shackle secured at one end to the ferrule. The machine comprises a pair of inclined feed tracks down which the ferrule and body slide to a first station where means is provided for forcing the two parts into non-removable assembly. The assembled pieces are then allowed to slide down to a second work station, where an end shackle is inserted into the ferrule and the ferrule deformed to retain the shackle. The assembly is then ejected from the machine.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,789,488 Moberg Feb. 5, 1974' ASSEMBLY MACHINE FOR A SEAL Primary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager [76] Inventor: Sigurd M. Moberg, 91 Ridge St., Mom, Agen Apt. 101, Orange, NJ. 07050 22 Filed: Aug. 30, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT I A machine for assembly of the component parts of a [21] Appl- N05 284,870 seal of the type comprising a plastic body, a metal ferrule assembled with the body and a flexible shackle 52 us. c1 29/208 D, 29/208 E Secured at one end to the ferrule The machine 51 Int. Cl 323p 19/04 prises a P of inclined feedtraeks down which the [58] Field f Search 29/208 D, 208 E, 208 R, 200 B, ferrule and body slide to a first station where means is 29 2 D provided for forcing the two parts into non-removable assembly. The assembled pieces are then allowed to 5 References Cited slide down to a second work station, where an end UNITED STATES PATENTS shackle is inserted into the ferrule and the ferrule de- 2 8 840 lie/I957 D t I 29/208 D formed to retain the shackle. The assembly is then ennison e a 2,866,975 1 1959 lne 29/211 D elected from the meme 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Feb. 5, 1974' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 5, 1974 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q ASSEMBLY MACHINE FOR A SEAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In my US. Pat. No. 3,167,340 and 3,117,812, there is illustrated a seal of the type used to close the neck of a bag, such as a coin bag. The seal comprises a plastic body, a metal ferrule assembled with the body, and a tape shackle attached to the ferrule. In use the tape is wrapped around the neck of the bag and the free end inserted into a suitable opening in the ferrule and body, after which the ferrule and body are deformed by a suitable tool so as to permanently retain the shackle end.

Prior to the development of the machine disclosed herein, the component parts of the seal were assembled by hand, using hand operated presses with resulting high labor cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein comprises a pair of inclined feed tracks down which ferrules and seal bodies slide to a first work station. The seal bodies seat against a stop whereas the ferrules are received by a notched wheel which indexes and carries the ferrules one by one into alignment with a seal body seated against the stop. Means is provided for forcing the body onto the ferrule, which moves the body out from behind the stop. Thereafter the wheel indexes and releases the ferrule-body assembly allowing it to slide down to a second work station. At the second station, an end of the shackle is inserted into the ferrule and the ferrule is crimped to retain the shackle end in assembly therewith. The crimping means at the second station and the indexing wheel at the first station operate in timed relation so that the ferrule body assembly released from the indexing wheel arrives at the second station just prior to the operation of the crimping means. Means is also provided, operated by the crimping means, for releasing the assembly from the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the features ofthe invention, illustrating the feed tracks and the first and second work stations;

FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the mechanism of FIG. 1, in which the ferrule crimping jaws are in the open position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the mechanism of FIG. 2 with the ferrule crimping jaws in the closed position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the mechanism of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a view of the mechanism of FIG. 1 as seen from the right end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a m a chine 100 which is designed to assemble the components parts of a seal 10, said seal comprising a plastic body 12, a metal ferrule 14 having an end portion 16 non-removably assembled into a suitable aperture 18 in the body, and a portion 20 at the other end crimped onto an end of a shackle 22.

The details of the structure and use of a seal of this type are illustrated and described in my above identified patents.

The assembly of the three components of the seal is carried out by the machine in the following sequence. The plastic body and the metal ferrule are positioned by means to be described into alignment so that the end 16 of the ferrule is opposite the aperture 18 of the plas- I tic body. The body is then forced onto the ferrule so that the end 16 enters the body aperture 18. Upwardly inclined lips 24 on the ferrule engage the surface of the plastic body inside the opening and prevent withdrawel of the ferrule thereafter.

The ferrule-body assembly is then moved toa second position, where the end of the tape 22 is inserted into the portion 20 of the ferrule. The portion 20 is then crimped to lock the tape into the ferrule.

The illustrated embodiment of the machine comprises a pair of parallel inclined feed tracks 102 and 104 leading from suitable feed hoppers (not shown) to a first assembly station.

The track 102 has a shape in cross section conforming to the longitudinal shape of the bottom of the ferrule, so that ferrules can slide sideways down the track with the end portion 16 extending toward the other track.

The track 104 has a shape in cross-section conforming to the longitudinal shape of a side of the plastic body 12 so that said bodies can slide down the track sideways with the opening 18 of body facing the track 102.

The first assembly station comprises a ferrule positioning wheel 106 disposed in the path of the track 102, said wheel having peripheral lobes 108 forming recesses 110 therebetween. At the bottom of the feed track 104, a stop 114 is provided against which the lowermost body 12 seats.

An assembly plunger 116 operated by an air cylinder 118 is positioned behind the body seated against the stop 114.

In operation, the tracks 102 and 104 are supplied continuously with ferrules and plastic bodies respectfully, which slide down the tracks. The leading body seats against the stop 114 and the leading ferrule seats against a lobe 108 of the wheel 106. When the wheel 106 is indexed, in timed relation to other operating portions to be described, the leading ferrule drops into a recess 110 and is moved by the wheels into alignment with the aperture 18 of the plastic body seated against the stop 114.

Immediately thereafter the assembly plunger 116 is moved forwardly by the air cylinder 118, pushing the plastic body 12 onto the end 16 of the ferrule, where it is permanently retained by the lips 24 engaging the interior surface of the body.

In moving onto the ferrule the body 12 moves clear of the stop 114. Another body drops into position against the stop 114, and when the wheel 106 rotates to bring another ferrule into the assembly position, the ferrule-body assembly is released from the wheel and slides down a track 120 to seat against stops 122 and 124. These stops are so positioned that the ferrule-body assembly comes to rest over a crimping die 126 and under a crimping punch 128, with the portion 20 of the ferrule in alignment with a tape feed aperture 130. The aperture 130 is formed by a lower plate 132 and an upper plate 134 hinged at the upstream edge to the lower plate, so that it can be raised to release the tape after the assembly operation is completed.

The tape may be fed into the machine either automatically by suitable tape feed means (not shown) or manually by a machine operator. In either case the end of the tape is inserted through the aperture 130, into the portion of the ferrule. Thereafter the punch 128 descends, crimping the portion 20 of the ferrule to conform to the shape of the punch and die, and nonremovably attaching the tape to the ferrule.

The punch 128 carries a detent 136 which catches under the upper plate 134 when the punch descends. The crimping action of the punch and die tends to lift the body 12 upwardly to allow it to clear the stop 122, and when the punch lifts, the detent 136 lifts the upper plate 134, freeing the tape from between the plates 132 and 134.

The assembled seal may therefore be removed from the machine by any convenient means, such as by knockout pins 138 and by an air jet from a suitably positioned nozzle (not shown).

The machine may be arranged to run continuously and automatically, or in the event that it is desired to hand feed the tapes into the machine, it may be arranged to operate one cycle at a time from a foot switch. In either case operating components operate in timed relation so that when the tape is inserted through the aperture into the ferrule, the punch 128 descends, and at about the same time, the air cylinder 118 operates to assemble the body onto the ferrule at the first work station. As the punch retracts and the assembled seal is removed from the second work station, the wheel 106 rotates to allow the next ferrule-body assembly to slide down to the second station and bring a new ferrule into position on the wheel for assembly with a plastic body.

Although the illustrated embodiment of the machine is designed for the assembly of a certain type of seal, the principles thereof may be adapted to the assembly of other multi-component articles without departing from the scope of the invention.

Since certain obvious changes may be made in the device it is intended that matter contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A machine for assembly of a seal, the component parts of which comprise a seal body, a metal ferrule for assembly into a body opening, and a shackle for attaching into a ferrule portion, said machine comprising a pair of feed tracks adapted to feed ferrules and bodies into aligned relation at a first work station, means at said station for forcing said ferrule and body into assembly, means releasing said ferrule-body assembly to a second work station, means at said second station for aligning the ferrule portion of said assembly with a shackle receiving opening in the machine and means for deforming said ferrule portion after an end of the shackle has been inserted therein through the shackle receiving opening to non-removably secure the shackle end in the ferrule.

2. A machine as set out in claim 1 in which said feed tracks are inclined and said ferrules and bodies slide down said tracks by gravity, stop means at the bottom of each track for positioning the ferrule into alignment with the body opening, means responsive to the assembly of the body into the ferrule to release the body from the stop means at the bottom of the body feed track, and means for thereafter releasing the ferrule from the stop means at the bottom of the ferrule feed track and for moving another ferrule into assembly position.

3. A machine as set out in claim 1 in which stop means is provided at the bottom of the body feed track and an indexing wheel is provided at the bottom of the ferrule feed track, said wheel having means receiving a ferrule and positioning it into alignment with the body disposed against the stop means, means forcing the body onto the ferrule, whereby the body moves clear of said stop means and the ferrule-body assembly is retained only by the indexing wheel, the next indexing motion of the wheel discharging the ferrule-body assembly from the wheel onto a feed track leading to the second work station.

4. A machine for the assembly of a multi-component device, comprising a pair of feed tracks shaped and arranged to allow two components to slide down said tracks into predetermined relation to each other at a first work station, means at said first work station for forcing said two components into assembly and for releasing said assembled components to a third track shaped and arranged to allow said assembled components to slide down to a third work station, means at said third work station for deforming a portion of one of the assembled components to retain a third component assembled therewith.

5. A machine for the assembly of seals, the component parts of which comprise a seal body having an opening, a metal ferrule having one end for nonremovable assembly into the opening and a deformable shackle receiving portion, said machine comprising a pair of inclined feed tracks having a configuration and an inclination such that seal bodies and ferrules can slide down said tracks with the body opening being directed generally toward the ferrule track and one end of the ferrule extending toward the body track, a stop at the bottom of the body track to position the lowermost body in a predetermined position, a rotatable wheel at the ferrule feed track, said tracks guiding the parts into a position such that at the bottom of the feed tracks the opening in said body and said end of the ferrule are directed generally toward each other, said wheel having peripheral means for receiving a ferrule from the bottom of the feed track and on rotation of the wheel through a predetermined angle moves the ferrule into alignment with the opening in the body, means for moving the body at the bottom of the feed track clear of the stop and onto the ferrule positioned by the wheel, a third feed track extending from the second work station, said track having a configuration and inclination such that the ferrule body assembly can slide on said track from the first work station to the second work station, further rotation of said wheel to bring a second ferrule into position for assembly with the body also releasing the ferrule-body assembly to the third feed track, a shackle guiding aperture and crimp ing means at said second work station, means at the bottom of the third track for positioning a ferrule-body assembly so that the shackle receiving portion is aligned with the shackle guiding aperture, and means at said second work station for deforming the shackle receiving portion and for thereafter releasing said shackle from the shackle guiding aperture. 

1. A machine for assembly of a seal, the component parts of which comprise a seal body, a metal ferrule for assembly into a body opening, and a shackle for attaching into a ferrule portion, said machine comprising a pair of feed tracks adapted to feed ferrules and bodies into aligned relation at a first work station, means at said station for forcing said ferrule and body into assembly, means releasing said ferrule-body assembly to a second work station, means at said second station for aligning the ferrule portion of said assembly with a shackle receiving opening in the machine and means for deforming said ferrule portion after an end of the shackle has been inserted therein through the shackle receiving opening to non-removably secure the shackle end in the ferrule.
 2. A machine as set out in claim 1 in which said feed tracks are inclined and said ferrules and bodies slide down said tracks by gravity, stop means at the bottom of each track for positioning the ferrule into alignment with the body opening, means responsive to the assembly of the body into the ferrule to release the body from the stop means at the bottom of the body feed track, and means for thereafter releasing the ferrule from the stop means at the bottom of the ferrule feed track and for moving another ferrule into assembly position.
 3. A machine as set out in claim 1 in which stop means is provided at the bottom of the body feed track and an indexing wheel is provided at the bottom of the ferrule feed track, said wheel having means receiving a ferrule and positioning it into alignment with the body disposed against the stop means, means forcing the body onto the ferrule, whereby the body moves clear of said stop means and the ferrule-body assembly is retained only by the indexing wheel, the next indexing motion of the wheel discharging the ferrule-body assembly from the wheel onto a feed track leading to the second work station.
 4. A machine for the assembly of a multi-component device, comprising a pair of feed tracks shaped and arranged to allow two components to slide down said tracks into predetermined relation to each other at a first work station, means at said first work station for forcing said two components into assembly and for releasing said assembled components to a third track shaped and arranged to allow said assembled components to slide down to a third work station, means at said third work station for deforming a portion of one of the assembled components to retain a third component assembled therewith.
 5. A machine for the assembly of seals, the component parts of which comprise a seal body having an opening, a metal ferrule having onE end for non-removable assembly into the opening and a deformable shackle receiving portion, said machine comprising a pair of inclined feed tracks having a configuration and an inclination such that seal bodies and ferrules can slide down said tracks with the body opening being directed generally toward the ferrule track and one end of the ferrule extending toward the body track, a stop at the bottom of the body track to position the lowermost body in a predetermined position, a rotatable wheel at the ferrule feed track, said tracks guiding the parts into a position such that at the bottom of the feed tracks the opening in said body and said end of the ferrule are directed generally toward each other, said wheel having peripheral means for receiving a ferrule from the bottom of the feed track and on rotation of the wheel through a predetermined angle moves the ferrule into alignment with the opening in the body, means for moving the body at the bottom of the feed track clear of the stop and onto the ferrule positioned by the wheel, a third feed track extending from the second work station, said track having a configuration and inclination such that the ferrule body assembly can slide on said track from the first work station to the second work station, further rotation of said wheel to bring a second ferrule into position for assembly with the body also releasing the ferrule-body assembly to the third feed track, a shackle guiding aperture and crimping means at said second work station, means at the bottom of the third track for positioning a ferrule-body assembly so that the shackle receiving portion is aligned with the shackle guiding aperture, and means at said second work station for deforming the shackle receiving portion and for thereafter releasing said shackle from the shackle guiding aperture. 